Contour car-coupling.



R. E. L. JANNEY.

CONTOUR GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.16, 1911. RENEWED JAN. 5, 1914.

I I l I l 3 l I I I/ I I 1 I l Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

THiE AORRIS- Phllzh'b ca. PiIGTU-LITHQ. WASHING mu. 0 c.

I Zlfiziimasi R. E. L. JANNBY.

CONTOUR CAR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED'NOTiG', 1911. RENEWED JAN. 5,1914.

1,107,166, Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHE}JT 2.

R. E. L. JANNEY.

CONTOUR CAR commas.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 16 1911. RENEWED JAN. 5, 1914. 1,107,166 PatentedAug. 11, 1914,

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TH'E AORRIS PETERS CO, FHOTU-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

R. B. L. JANNEY.

CONTOUR GAR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED 11011.16, 1911. RENEWED 1,111.5,1914.

1,107,166. Patented Aug. 11, 1911 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

iUNlT STATES nonnnr n. L. JANNEY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONTOUR CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

Application filed November 16, 1911, Serial No. 660,712. Renewed January5, 1914. Serial No. 810,511.

whereby car couplers of increased dimensions may be adapted to mate withcar couplers of the present standard dimensions.

Car couplers are constructed in accordance with certain standardsestablished by the Master Car Builders Association, these standardsincluding among other things, a deiinite contour line for the workingface of the coupler and knuckle. This contour line was established overtwenty-five years ago and has not been changed to an extent whereby thecouplers with and Without the change would not mate during that period.It has been found during recent years, how ever, that owing to thelargely increased capacity and weight of cars, length of trains, speedand shocks, that couplers even though constructed of the strongest materials known, would not stand in service. However, to increase the sizeof the couplers, or, in other words, to provide for a greater mass ofmetal, it is necessary to increase the dimensions of the couplers tosuch an extent that the present standard couplers will not matetherewith. The weakest point in the present standard M. G. B. coupler isin the hub of the knuckle and the lugs on the drawhead to which theknuckle is attached. It will'be seen that any increase in the amount ofmetal in the knuckle hub or in the lugs means a necessary change in thecontour of the coupler knuckle face. Certain variations are permittedwith respect to the tail of the knuckle, the charac ter of the lock andthe like. Obviously, a change in the contour line of the coupler makesit necessary either that the couplers shall all be changed at the sametime or that means shall be provided whereby this transition from thepresent to the new type may be effected gradually and without anyimpairment of the service. When it is considered that there are inservice in the United States approximately four million couplers, itwill be seen that the change in the couplers can not be effected atonce;

1 ing such transition period.

first, for the reason that sufficient couplers i I desirable, inasmuchas it will take several years to bring about the transition, that theadvantage accruing to the increased size and capacities of couplersshould be secured dur- It is the object of my invention to pro videmeans whereby the result last stated may be accomplished.

It is a further objectof my invention to secure in the transition periodthe highest efiiciency by the use of simple and inexpensive means andthis I do by eiiiciently increasing the strength of the present M. C. B.

coupler by the addition of means for of fecting the transition itself.

It is well understood that the contour of the coupler now in use isestablished from a single point, which point is the intersection of twolines, one extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the couplerand the other extending at right angles thereto. These lines are calledthe longitudinal and transverse base lines respectively. The inner faceof the coupler knuckle when closed and the outer face of the couplerhead are substantially at equal distance from the transverse base line.The point at which the temporary knuckle to be used during thetransition period is pivoted, and which knuckle is to be afterwardreplaced bya permanent knuckle, is not subject to the variation allowedin the present contour, but is confined practically to one point, fortwo reasons. First, the attaching lugs for the knuckle should containsuflicient metal to provide the requisite resistance. If the lugs areprojected forward in order to pivot the knuckle any considerabledistance ahead of the transverse base line itwill be seen that duringthe use of a temporary knuckle when engaged with a coupler oft-hepresent cons tour the lugs must becut away to allow for the necessarydegree of curvature between the engaged couplers. This cutting away,ofcourse, weakens the lugs, and should be avoided, and, second, if underthe same conditions the knuckle is pivoted at a point considerably tothe rear of the transverse base line, it will be seen that the knucklesmust swing on a longer radius and that therefore, two couplers soarranged cannot inter'en gage without sidewise movement to permitclearance and mate readily in coupling, as is well understood by thoseversed in the art. Therefore, it will be seen that the pivot point forthe knuckle in the enlarged contour coupler must be located at somedefinite point with relation to the transverse base line, at which pointit will be unnecessary to cut away the lugs to permit the proper degreeof curvature or without an exaggerated radius of movement which wouldrequire side shifting in order to mate with an opposing coupler. It hasbeen found that this point in the enlarged contour coupler is justforward of the transverse base line, but that when the enlarged contourcoupler is arranged for use with a standard M. C. B. contour the 1 pointfalls slightly to the rear of the transverse base line. This isaccomplished by shifting the base line and not by shifting the pivot pinhole. The contour lines of the present M. C. B. coupler when increasedas proposed, will render the new coupler unadapted to mate with thepresent standard coupler. It is obviously impossible to substitutecouplers of this new type for the present standard on all cars inservice simultaneously and as it is essential that cars shall beprovided with couplers which will mate, some means for effecting thetransition gradually must be provided. To this end I have devised ameans to effect this gradual transition without impairing the efiiciencyof the new coupler and with an increased efiiciency of the presentstandard.

The fundamental principle of my invention consists in preservingtemporarily such contour line as will enable couplers of the present andof the new standard to inter engage for service until such time as thepresent equipment is superseded by the new type and this I do byproviding a supplemental member to be interposed between the co-actingfaces of the coupler heads of the two types and which is preferablyappliedto the coupler of enlarged contour. This intermediate member maybe for convenience called a shim and is of such form and dimensions asto be efficiently secured to the inner face of the enlarged coupler soas to preserve the present contour line, thereby adapting such enlargedcoupler to engage a coupler of present dimensions. This intermediatemember is preferably so shaped as to be secured to the enlarged headexternally of the pivot lugs, thus enabling employment of a knucklehaving a hub of increased dimensionscorresponding to the enlargement ofthe coupler head, the hook remaining of such form as to engage acorresponding hook on the couplers of the present size. -In this waythere is immediately secured additional stren th over that of thepresent M. C. B. coup er and when the transition is effected by theremoval of the intermediate member and the substitution of a knucklehaving the same hub dimensions and the correspondingly enlarged contourof the hook portion, the couplers of the enlarged type will be adaptedto interfit with each other and the transition will thus be effectedwith the increased advantages arising from the enlargement withoutimpairment or inconvenience to the service and with no additional costsave that of the intermediate member and the temporary knuckle.

To recapitulate therefore, the principal objects of my invention may bestated as follows: First, to provide a coupler of such increaseddimensions as to meet the present day needs of the railroads due toincreased weight and capacity of cars, loads carried and shockssustained. Second, to so arrange such a coupler that it may mate with acoupler of the present contour. Third, to secure practically all theadvantages of increased dimensions during the period of transition fromthe smaller to the greater contour. Fourth, to so locate the knucklepivot pin hole that the coupler lugs need not be cut away and theknuckle may nothave such excessive radial movement that it will not matewith an opposing coupler. and, fifth a further object is to accomplishthis result without materially increasing the dis tance between cars.

My invention will be more readily understood. by reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 shows in full lines a coupler of enlarged contour having aknuckle of the desired dimensions and in dotted lines a coupler of thepresent M. C. B. standard contour, this view being intended to show thatthe two will not mate; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the enlargedcontour coupler provided with a temporary knuckle and with a novel shimor filler block, this coupler being mated with an M. C. B. standardcoupler and showing in dotted lines the position assumed by the M. G. B.coupler due to inter-engaged cars passing onto a curve necessitatingside swing of the engaged couplers; Fig. 3 is a view showing twoenlarged contour couplers, each with a shim and a temporary knuckle;Fig. st shows two enlarged contour couplers without the shim and withfull size knuckles, and Fig. 5 shows in perspective my novel shim.

The couplers shown in the accompanying drawings are more or lessdiagrammatic in form and show no details other than the outline of thecouplers. The views are on a scale of 6 inches to a foot, the M. C. B.standard lines known as the 190a M. C. B. contour being taken fromMaster Car Builders Association drawing No. 28, appearing in volume 4.4of the 1910 proceedings of the Master Car Builders Association.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that inFig. 1 I have shown two couplers, A and B, the former being of theproposed enlarged contour coupier and the latter, in dotted lines, thepresent M. C. B. standard contour. This view is made for the purpose ofshowing that two such couplers will not mate and illustrating why theywill not mate. It will be seen in this view that the guard arm 10 ofcoupler B projects considerably into the plane of the knuckle 11 ofcoupler A and that the knuckle 11 of coupler A is much larger than theopening between the coupler face and the knuckle locking face of couplerB. The solution of the problem as to how these couplers may be made tointerengage is shown in Fig. 2. In this view it will be seen thatcoupler A has had applied thereto a shim l2 and a temporary knuckle 13.The hook of this knuckle 13 is of practically the same dimensions as theM. C. B. standard knuckle and easily enters past the guard arm ofcoupler B. In order to fill up the opening left between the outer faceof the knuckle and the coupler B and the face of the coupler the shim isinserted and thus I provide a standard M. C. B. contour, gaininghowever, the advantage of increased size. strength and mass of metalinevery part except in the hook portion of the knuckle. The knuckle 18itself has a much larger hub and is to this extent strengthened. Lugs 14of coupler A as shown in Fig. 2 are cut outat 15 in order to permit theguard arm 10 of coupler B to swing a sufficient amount, this cut awayportion at that point correspond" ing to the outline of the temporaryknuckle 18.

In Fig. 3 I have shown two couplers A, each having shims 12 andtemporary knuckles 13, these couplers being inter-engaged and securingall the advantages accruing to the large size coupler except in the hookportion of the knuckle as heretofore explained.

In Fig. 4 I have shown also two couplers A without the shims and withthe full size knuckles 11. This represents the ultimate condition afterthe period of transit-ion from the small to the large size coupler. Inthis view it will be seen that the cut away portion 15 is no longernecessary and will not be employed in couplers produced after the periodof transition.

Referring now to Fig. 1 it will be seen that in coupler A the transversebase line is marked a"w and that the knuckle pivot pin is locatedforward thereof. By locating the opening at this point it is necessaryto cut away only a small amount of metal from the lugs as at 15;however, if the plvot pin hole were extended farther forward with theconsequent extension of the lugs, it would be necessary to cut awayadditional metal to permit the lugs to enter the guard arm of the smallcoupler and such cutting away would materiallyweaken thelugs;furthermore, it will be seen that if the pivot pin hole were moved tothe rear to any extent the radial movement of the knuckle 11, wouldpreclude its engagement with another coupler without excessive sidewiseshifting of both couplers.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the transverse base line hasbeen moved due to the insertion of the shim 12 and is now locatedforward of the pivot pin for the knuckle. In this view is shown atemporary knuckle mating with a standard size coupler, and although thepivot pin hole is to the rear of the base line, the couplers may beengaged and disengaged without sidewise shifting. The transverse baseline g 1 of coupler B is, on the contrary, back of the pivot pin.

In Fig. 4 are shown two full size couplers in each of which thetransverse base line falls to the rear of the pivot pin.

My point is that I have devised means in connection with thesubstitution of small for large size couplers whereby they may be madeto mate without bodily shifting the pivot point for the couplers whenmating with either small or large size couplers, the re sult beingaccomplished by reason of the use of a temporary shim and temporaryknuckle.

I In Fig. 5 I have shown in perspective my temporary shim, whichconsists of a body portion 16 having two perforated cars 17 adapted tofit over the lugs 14 of the enlarged coupler. On the opposite end of theshim I provide a hook portion 18 having a recess 19 therein, whichrecess accommodates a projection 20 on the guard arm of the coupler. Toapply the shim it is only necessary to hook the portion 18 around theguard arm of the coupler, then register the openings in the ears 17 withthe openings in the lug 1 1, then insert the knuckle pivot pin 21through the parts.

It will be understood that the shim herein shown is only one of manyforms which might be used in order to accomplish the same purpose, and Ido not, therefore, wish to be limited to any particular form orconstruction thereof.

-While the contour of the enlarged coupler is simply an enlargement ofthe present contour,the use of this shim permits variations to be madein the enlarged contour best suited to the conditions of the servicewithout changing the J anney type, which variations in the presentcontour are impracticable as they would prevent the couplers frommating.

I claim:

1. The herein described means for enabling the operation of two carcouplers of different contour lines, which consists in applying to thecoupler having the greater contour, an intermediate removable membercorresponding in thickness to the difference in contours, substantiallyas described.

2. The herein described means for enabling the operation of two carcouplers of different contour lines, which consists in applying to thecoupler having the greater contour an intermediate removable membercorresponding in thickness to the difierence in contours, and atemporary knuckle having a hub portion fitting said enlarged coupler andan engaging portion corresponding to the contour of the smaller coupler,substantially as described.

3. A coupler of increased dimensions having means whereby it may beengaged by a coupler. of less dimensions, said means including a fillingmember and a temporary knuckle, said knuckle being pivoted forward ofthe transverse base line when arranged to mate with a coupler of its owndimensions and back of the transverse base line when arranged to matewith a coupler of smaller dimensions.

ROBERT E. L. JANNEY.

Witnesses A. TREVOR JONES, E. WALTERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe 'Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

